annoying driveshaft :@

[j2sound]

ive just changed the clutch on my pickup, the car is all back together apart from i still have my o/s driveshaft off the car. The problem ive got is the bolts are so seized that i cant undo the ball joint, track rod end or either of the 2 wish bone mounts to get enough pull on the hub to allow me to put the driveshaft back in. On the nearside i done it by taking the ball joint assembly off the wish bone as there where only bolted together, on the o/s is pop rivet kinda thing so this is out of the question. Any ideas how to get my driveshaft back in, preferably without drilling botls ect, ive also ambersealed everything for 2 days straight and the bolts are still seized so rust busters ect aint working on these :|

[jonny a]

Tried a blowtorch on the seized nuts? This usualy works, you'll prob need new nuts afterwards tho.

[djaychela]

You'll have to get the bottom pinch bolt out. I've had a few that were seized, and a couple that were REALLY seized. I've usually found that heat will do the trick, but it takes a fair bit to get it actually warmed up and you need to be careful or you'll burn something rubber in there. Then you'll be able to get the bolt out, and replace it. The top pinch bolt (hub to strut) can be a right bugger for being seized in place, had a couple that wouldn't come out for anything and I just scrapped the hub.

[craig 1010cc]

Would undoing the top mount allow the strut to drop further?

[j2sound]

Ive already tried undoing the top mount and the anti-roll bar stops the wish bone dropping any further and guess what... Yes the anti-roll bar link to the wishbone is seized like the rest :( lol think im going to have to vist b&q tomorrow and buy myself a blow torch to get the pinch bolt out.

[adurer]

[j2sound]

i tried heat today after buying a blow torch with no luck as its just going to burn away the bottom ball joint rubber, tomorrow i think im just going to tak an angle grinder to the bolt heads and knock them out then replace

[adurer]

Try this old school trick before grinding it.

Edited 14 December, 2012 by adurer

[yorkshirecoble]

Years ago I had an old 1950's motorbike sidecar that I was fitting to my BSA; it had been on another Beeza for donkies years and the various fittings and couplings were well seized up. I was engineering at the time and had all the gear to hand, myself and a workmate tried just about every trick in the book to loosen them up, and this is what finally solved the problem.....cutting fluid. Cutting grease or paste is no good. Ambersil is a good brand to get. Use it as you would penetrating oil, and after soaking, start to ease and loosen the fitting; as soon as movement is felt move back and forth working the fluid in and (hopefully) increasing the amount of movement each time. If you are successful and the bits part company be sure to clean all traces of the cutting fluid off.

Incidentally, those sidecar fittings worked like new when they were finished. Don't know if this method is applicable to the parts you have but could be worth a go. Good luck.

[j2sound]

ive tried heat and it just melting the ball joint rubber so thats no longer an option as it will mean getting the pop rivets out or replaceing the whole wishbone & ball joint setup which mean even more seized bolts to get off, ive spent ages ambersil'in the bolt with no joy, i really do think an angle griner or drill is my last hope now

[j2sound]

Ok ive angle grinded the heads of and still the shaft of the bolt is stuck in there :S im starting to loose hope in this now :| tried to punch the remainder of the bolt out with no joy :( this car was defiantly built not to fall apart :|

[TeflonTom]

try sticking your trolley jack under the ball joint and try lifting it a touch, it might loosen it a bit and also it will stop it bouncing when you try to knock the bolt out with a punch

also the bolt is probably bent which is why she doesnt want to come out

[j2sound]

After drilling through 3/4 of the pinch bolt i finally managed to punch it out happy times now and my felly pickup is finally back together after getting a free replacement pinch bolt from the scrappy

[djaychela]

... which I trust you greased suitably before fitting? Never really understood the false economy of using secondhand bolts, etc... it'll come home to roost.

[TeflonTom]

Yhep, it's about a quid from the dealer for a new bolt..

[j2sound]

I got it from the scrappy as its local and it didnt mean waiting for it. Yeah i covered the bolt with copper ease before fitting to avoid the same happening again